Eyam No. 1

Cox (1875-1877) notes that this font may be the only remaining evidence of the Norman church in Eyam. Listed in Cox & Harvey (1907) as a baptismal font of the Norman period. The basin is roughly cylindrical, slightly wider at the bottom, a rather crude piece; the sides are covered in a blind arcade of round arches in low relief. The base has a round upper side turning into a square shape at the bottom. [An image of the Eyam font, originally from Rev. J.M.J. Fletcher's 'The Plague Stricken Derbyshire Village, or, What to See In and Around Eyam', is made available by Andrew McCann in the GENUKI site for this village www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/DBY/Eyam/Fletcher/ChurchFont.htm -- a recent image is available at www.derbyshireuk.net/eyam23.html]. Bunting (2001) writes: "Eyam's Saxon font, hewn of local gritstone, was rescued late last century after serving as a garden ornament" [cf. Index entry for Eyam No. 2 for this font; no other reference to this earlier Saxon font found anywhere else; Bunting does mention also "a later Norman font" at this church -- to be followed up/completed]. Noted in Pevsner (1978): "Font, Norman, circular, with blank arches on columns (cf. Hognaston; found in a garden at Hathersage)" [NB: the note is rather confusing: which one was found in the garden at Hathersage: Hognaston? Eyam?].